The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1887-04-08
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"What are you conversing about3" he asked
| of the sad looking men. One of them replied
| that he surely must have beard Of the ter
| rible events which had recently occurred il
| the city.
"What events" asked Jesus
"The martyrdom of the great prophet
Jesus of Nazareth, who was condemned tc
death and crucified by the priests and Roman
authorities. We had hoped he would have
been the one who would have delivered our
nation. The third day, of which he spoke,
has passed, and some of our women friends
have astonshed us by saying that they have
seen him and also vision of angels, who de-
cleared that he is alive. A few of us at once
went to the tomb and found it was, indeed,
empty, but we nothing of him, and we
cannot believe it."
Then Jesus himself cndeavored to teach
them the necessities Of the work of this
marty1pd prophet.
"He fulfilled the prophecies by all these
suiTcrings YOU depore," he said "Can you not
see that they were necessary. The Jewish
Christ was appointed to be n prophet to the
world" And he sought to illustrate the vic
tory Of truth over opposition.
This cheered his hearers, and eager for
more instruction they begged him to remain
He rested with them for while, and at last
assumed the familiar countenance of the very
prophet of whom their minds were full.
do you not know me9"
And before the words had been answered.
before the astonished lneI had time to reply
to avoid the human contact he could not yet
bear-he vanished like spirit from their
sight
WAC ct,nftn of
and eager to communicate their own expcr.
enco to the others, they sped to Jerusalem,
and joined them in the hour of dusk
"0hl we have been so chccrcd by The words
Of a stranger who joined us Oh the road, ard
explained TO US the real meaning of The cruel
iixion! And whilo We werc listening 10 him,
he showed US who he was. 1t is ell true; we
also have seen the Christi
The little group sat together iii the twilight,
With hope ard belief at last rising within their
breasts. The circle was of harmony ard
faith in the main, though hero and there
troubled doubt, born Of tho natural blindness
Of physical man, would still make itself fell,
and Jesus, who perceived all that was going
on, il . moment stood il tho midst of them.
He passed through tho closed doors, for he
bad ven Tho complete power over matters,
which il the last attribute of man. lis
presence startled them all, and they knew not
what to think. How did lie come. Then
rney recognized him, and the doubts fed TO
tho winds lie showed them the remains of
tho wolintr marks in his hands and feet.
do not be troubled he said. "See-it is
myself! Touch me and sec for yourselves,
for spirit has not flesh and bones as have.
Well can we understand the paradoxcal men-
tai condition Of that little group of witnesses.
They "disbelieved for joy"
He afterwards endeavored to explain to
them the true nature Of tho Messiah work.
Then he again disappeared as mysteriorsly
as he came.
Thomas, who had been absent at this meet
ing, was on the next occasion present. He
had heard the emphatic statements of his
friends, but like many skeptical persons, had
refused TO believe them unless he could bo n !
witness himself. Jesus was perfectly we'll |
aware of this, and gave the required proof. |
Again lie passed through closed doors and |
breathed on them all his beautiful words OF |
peace. He then addressed Thomas and told |
him to look ct tho wo.nd prints oil lis hands !
and his side. Thomas obeyed, and uttered an |
exclamation of automatically Godi tho |
Masterl'
The conviction of Thomas was followed by |
several other manifestations of Christ, who |
was at times invisible and convcrsing with
his angelic companion, and on other occasions
his form yisibly into the material
world and counseled and strengthened "iiis
own"
Some of his followers went, as they had
been instructed, into Galilec. Peter resumed
here, for little while, his old trade of fish
srman, since the disturbed atmosphere of the
'ity did not permit of meetings, and of the
immediate formation of society With sew
raj others, he saw Jesus standing on the
each, and in little while they recognized
Inn With the same spiritual sight he had
lways manifested, he told them when to cast
heir nets, and they drew them in full. instead
4 empty as they had done before The COM
non affairs and necessities OF daily lie were
ever dcsI,iscd by Jesus, and he came among
benz without a word of reproach for all the
esertions ard denials which had been the
ast drops in his bitter cup. He aided them
$ the friend and teacher of the old days The
cod prepared, he ate with them for the last
CONTINUED OF NEXT FASE.